title: Beta-amyloid protein increases the vulnerability of cultured cortical neurons to excitotoxic damage.
abstract: Glutamate neurotoxicity may be an underlying pathological mechanism contributing to neuronal cell loss in a variety of conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we examined whether the beta-amyloid protein found in the neuritic plaques of AD alters the susceptibility of neurons to excitotoxic damage. While mature cortical neurons exposed to beta-amyloid protein for 2-4 days did not appear to be damaged, their vulnerability to low-intensity exposure to glutamate, N-methyl-D-aspartate, and kainate increased, suggesting that this mechanism may contribute to the neurodegeneration seen in AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychobiology, University of California, Irvine 92717.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cotman
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology; D005971:Glutamates / Q000633:toxicity; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000633:toxicity; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D005971:Glutamates; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009498:Neurotoxins; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D007608:Kainic Acid